‘R-word’ issue draws huge crowd to meeting

Jill Terreri • Staff writer • August 12, 2009 Democrat and Chronicle

The Monroe County Legislature chamber on Tuesday was packed with members of the disability community and their advocates asking for one of the lawmakers to admit he used the word “retard” in a meeting last month and to apologize for doing so.

Their passionate pleas did not prompt any legislator to come forward.

The r-word issue drew a standing-room-only crowd, including 26 public speakers and a national news crew from Fox News in Washington, D.C., to watch the proceedings.

“We have been told, get over it, don’t be so sensitive,” said Bruce Darling, executive director for the Center for Disability Rights, adding that by not demanding that someone be held accountable, lawmakers are saying use of the word is acceptable.

“Because you sit out there and you’re an elected official, you need to use the words appropriate for your position,” said Susan Stahl, who is affiliated with CDR.

The use of the word, which occurred on the legislature floor on July 14 when a legislator said it quietly, was made in response to a Democratic lawmaker’s comment, so it would appear the comment was made by a Republican.

Questioned after the meeting, Majority Leader Dan Quatro, R-Webster, and Minority Leader Harry Bronson, D-Rochester, said they don’t know who said it, though Bronson on Monday guessed that it sounded like Quatro.

“I accept responsibility for the use of the r-word in this chamber,” Quatro said after the meeting. “I am not admitting that I said it.”

Quatro also said he will not question members of his caucus about it.

The matter was not discussed on the floor of the legislature by lawmakers themselves.

Chris Hilderbrant, director of advocacy for CDR, said people say things they regret all the time.

“Things go away so much more easily if we admit them and we say we’re sorry,” he said. “You need to own mistakes and apologize for them.”

The word was picked up by a microphone and is audible on a video recording of the July 14 meeting, available on the county Web site. But the speaker is not on camera.